What are Professional Ethics?

John Dowdle FRSA

At a time when British senior politicians have recently had to step down after being exposed by undercover journalists, and a group of former teachers and school administrators in Atlanta, Georgia have been jailed for up to seven years for their involvement in a test cheating scandal, is this not a timely moment to ask the question “What are Professional Ethics”?

In his talk, John will be asking – and hopefully answering! – a number of key questions:-

What do we mean by “ethics”; and

What are “professional ethics”?

John will consider case studies including the Engineering Council, General Pharmaceutical Council and the American Ethical Union. What can we learn from these bodies and is there a case for establishing a quasi-professional ethical watchdog in the UK?

After the talk, there is a discussion session, in which all participate and contribute towards.

John Dowdle is a Member of the Conway Hall Ethical Society, Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Life Member of the British Humanist Association and Life Member of the National Secular Society. John is also President of Watford Area Humanists.

As a former politics and business studies’ lecturer, John is particularly interested in investigating the role that professional ethics can play in achieving a truly humane society – and how we can all contribute towards them.